An escape from Death?

Two days after Christmas, one week after servicing, I headed down to Panjim’s ultra-modern Central Library for an informal meet. On my way back, however, my beloved ride stopped in the middle of traffic. Thankfully, I didn’t get knocked down. If there was a bus behind me, I’d doubtless be killed. Vespa, it’s nice to market yourselves as a premium brand, but at least care for the safety of your customers, if nothing else.

Back to the point. In the days immediately following my second servicing, the scooter’s engine tended to die down upon deceleration. However, it would easily start again when that happened.

Not this time, though. In the middle of the busy road leading up to the Mandovi Bridge (which connects Panjim with Bardez), it refused to start. Tried the electric start, kick start, choke, threatening it with murderous looks. I tried all kinds of stunts as the rush hour traffic stared incessantly at the angry Vespa guy glaring at his scooter. Nothing worked. So I called up the showroom. After around 40 minutes, the mechanic showed up and fixed the problem.

There’s something intrinsically embarrassing and frustrating about your Vespa breaking down in traffic. Firstly, people will stare at the scooter. It always happened. It’s still rather unusual to see a Vespa on Goan (and I supposed Indian) roads, so there’s nothing like a broken down Vespa with a helpless rider for people to stare.

This isn’t the first time the Vespa’s left me stranded. It happened the day I bought the Vespa too, when I and a showroom staffer were left immobile on Taleigao’s main highway. Six years of owning a Dio, I’ve never had 1/10^th of the problems the Vespa has given me in two months. For instance, the Dio has never once broken down. The Vespa’s done that twice in two months.

I think my New Year’s resolution is to take Piaggio and Vespa to Court, something I’ve been thinking about doing and collecting evidence for. Hope I don’t have to pay a premium for justice too.

Nigel Britto,
Panjim, Goa.

First service report

Hello again, Vespaites! Be forewarned, since this one's going to be long and detailed. Readers who have not yet bought a Vespa but are going to, this one's a MUST read. So here we go:

The first service of a Piaggio Vespa is after one month or 1,000 km, whichever is earlier. For my scooter, one month would be on November 20, 2012, Monday. However, as I have reported in a previous blog post, the showroom owner, Mr Farid Veljee, had advised me to get it done slightly early due to a sound that was emanating from the engine. Thus, I wrote to the dealership on Thursday, and the manager asked me to get the scooter on Saturday, which I did.

When I gave the scooter for servicing, I wrote down a list of eight complaints I had with the scooter. Sadly, almost none of them were attended to, though while collecting the scooter, he promised that the mechanic said he'd sorted out all the problems.

Here's the list of the problems, in black, and their status after the servicing, in red:

1) ENGINE NOISE: Right from the day I bought the scooter, its engine has been making a strange sound. I informed the Vespa dealership about it, including Mr Farid Veljee, who introduced me to a mechanic, Lucky, who told me that the noise was normal and will subside with time. Unfortunately, the noise has only gotten worse. I have consulted several other Vespa owners, who tell me their Vespa didn't make such a loud noise, and any tappet sounds usually smoothen after around 400 km. Right now, the sound is quite loud and completely spoils the ride quality, which is very rough. This is NOT normal. Please check the sound, and if it's tappet sound, please change the tappet setting BEFORE changing the oil.

Post-service status: The engine is as bad, and is getting noisier by the day. Post-servicing especially, it also gives a feel like it's being pulled and is under severe strain. It's increasingly sounding like a tractor. The ride quality is very rough, and makes taking the scooter around a chore.

Customer satisfaction level: 0/10.

2) FRONT SUSPENSION NOISE: For the last few days, the front suspension (or something in front) has been squeaking loudly while riding, especially over rough roads, and bridge dividers. This sound can also be heard loudly if the scooter is idling, too. You can test the sound by pressing the front shocks of the scooter. This, too, has resulted in a very unpleasant riding experience, since I get the impression that something is rubbing against something else. Please sort it out; I don't know what exactly is wrong and why the sound suddenly became louder. I don’t know if it’s connected, but there is occasionally the smell of burning rubber, too, while riding.

Post-service status: Mechanic dealt with the sound very well, it's no longer coming. But that's all he did. The front unit still giving negative feedback on the handle bar, as if something is loose. It also still feels like something is rubbing against something else. This has increased in the couple of days after the service, and the ride quality is downright pathetic.

Customer satisfaction level: 3/10

3) EFFICIENCY: The mileage of the scooter so far has been consistent at 40 kmpl. I guess that's normal for so early in the scooter's life, but if it's not, please take care of the problem.

Post service status: The mileage has marginally dropped. It started at 40.18 when I bought it, and progressively increased for three rounds, but after service, it dropped again, to 40.39.

Customer satisfaction level: 2/10

4) FOOTHOLD DEFECT: The foothold for pillion rider, on the left (back) of the main foot-board, has some defect. I had not noticed this while taking possession of the scooter since the area was covered by the foot mat. I discovered it subsequently, the first time I washed the scooter.

Post-service status: Rectified completely. No issues with it anymore.

Customer satisfaction level: 10/10

5) ENGINE HEATING: The engine gets heated up quickly, especially at night, and makes a knocking sound after parking the scooter. This sound will come even after a very short ride of, say, 5 minutes. Why is it heating up so much?

Post-service status: No improvement. Engine still heating up like crazy. No clarification if this is normal.

Customer satisfaction level: 2/10

6) STORAGE FAULT: Both the front storage and under-seat storage are not waterproof. When I wash the scooter, water always enters both the storage units. How am I supposed to keep my documentation in the scooter? I was not informed of this very important fact before I bought the scooter.

Post-service status: Nothing done. Apparently, the front storage is meant to let water in. That's okay, but the under-seat storage also does the same. Very inconvenient.

Customer satisfaction level: 7/10

7) BRAKE QUERY: The brakes, especially the front brake, is quite weak. I hear that's a problem with all Vespas, but why does the scooter skid when the brakes are applied hurriedly?

Post-service status: As you may know, the Vespa's front brakes are notoriously weak. After service, though, it's become worse. The scooter can't 'slow down'. Either it's moving or it stops. There's no progressive slowing down with these brakes. Didn't notice these problems before the service.

Customer satisfaction level: 3/10

VERDICT:

Overall service rating: 2/10

I put a lot of faith in the first service, and I'm completely unhappy with it. The ride quality of the scooter can't possibly be any worse. Riding is like a mixture of travelling in a Mumbai auto and driving a tractor. Though it's one-month old, it feels like a several-years-old bike with a completely abused engine. Personally, I never cross 50 kmph, and am in the green zone (30-50kmph) 99% of the time. If with this level of care, the scooter is still so bad, there is something wrong. Even sadder, the first time (as I reported earlier), I went and asked the mechanic to diagnose the problem, he couldn't (read earlier post). Now, I went with the problems, he couldn't fix it.

Nigel Britto,

Panjim, Goa.

The Vespa experience

The Vespa has its fair share of problems, but there's one thing you can't argue with — its classic looks. Riding it around town is a truly amazing experience, with regards to the attention you get. Having ridden a nondescript Dio for over six years, the Vespas' road presence is unimaginable. It's quite impossible to take even a short ride (3 kms?) without at least 5-10 people ogling at you!

One of the weirdest of my Vespa experiences so far has been being filmed. Two tourists, who looked distinctly north India, saw me coming through their rear-view mirror (they were riding a rented Honda Activa), and the pillion rider immediately whips out his camera and films me (or rather, the Vespa, since I'm quite an assault on the eyes). Slightly angry with them, I jokingly flashed them the middle finger. Don't think they knew what it meant; they happily waved back and continued filming. Facepalm.

Another time, a man caught up with me in traffic, and bombarded me with a load of questions about the Vespa, which I answered as civilly as I could before scooting off. The other day, I walked out of the hotel Mandovi, to see an old man staring at the scooter. The moment I started it, the questions came pouring in. Yet another time, when an aunt was unwell and admitted to hospital, I saw from a balcony a crowd somewhere near my Vespa. Thought it was an accident, went down to investigate. Turns out they were looking at the Vespa. Not bad, eh?

Strangely, my Vespa has become sort of an unofficial 'test' Vespa for many. As a journalist, I tend to move around a lot and meet a lot of people, most of whom will probably question me about the scooter. Some want a test ride, which I occasionally grant, but only if I'm sitting pillion (so that I can check the rider isn't abusing the scooter).

Sadly, though, the scooter is not as good as it looks, and almost anyone who takes a ride on it is left dissatisfied. The ride quality, the engine noise, suspension and brakes are just not up to the mark. 

I'm often asked for a recommendation to Vespa. As of now, I can't honestly ask a person to invest his or her hard-earned money in such a troublesome scooter. Then I guide them to this blog. Suffice it to say, the harrowing ownership experience I've had, and continue to have, doesn't impress prospective buyers. Sorry, Vespa!

Nigel Britto,

Panjim, Goa.

Damage control

Yesterday, there was a flurry of calls on my mobile phone. Unfortunately, as I was busy, I couldn't attend to them. Later, received an e-mail from the source of those calls — the owner of the showroom from whom I bought my Vespa. Spoke to him, and he called me to his office with my scooter, so that he could, in his words, 'personally sort out the matter to your satisfaction'.

Today, I went to meet him, and he introduced me to his mechanic, one Lucky, who he described as 'one of our best'. I had told him that my scooter's engine was making strange noises, something I attributed to the mechanic's test ride (see last post). Farid, the owner, told me to take a test ride on his test-ride scooter, the lovely yellow Vespa I have written about previously, and see if there was a difference. Not surprisingly, there was a world of difference. I told him various problems, mainly with the engine though. The mechanic says that these are normal teething problems and will get better over time. More specifically, he said that the noise will completely disappear by second servicing. 

So in the end, I had to take my scooter home in the same condition. The mechanic couldn't diagnose the problem, and even refused to admit it at first. The handlebar, which veered (and still veers) slightly to the left, was also scoffed at, he saying that it's perfectly balanced. So it looks like I'll have to wait till the second servicing.

Nigel Britto,

Panjim, Goa. 

Update

Earlier this evening, I sent a modified version of my previous post to Vespa India's official e-mail id, and to the dealer from whom I bought my scooter. Let's see if they respond to it, and how long they take to do so.

Nigel Britto,

Panjim, Goa.

Finally got my Vespa

I thought the worst was over. Apparently, I was wrong.

You can forgive me for being excited at finally taking delivery of the scooter I always dreamed of owning. A rude shock was in store for me. 

Here's what happened earlier today.

Firstly, the scooter was slightly faulty. I took it for its first ride home when I discovered the handlebar was veering slightly towards the left. Immediately, I called the dealership, and the manager asked me to return so that it could be fixed. The lock, too was tight and it refused to release the key. I then went along with a showroom staffer to the workshop, which was located at a Mahindra dealership, around a kilometer or so away. After being tended to (which included the mechanic violently banging the handlebar in the opposite direction to negate the left veer), the mechanic took a short test ride, and the scooter was ready, but on my way back to the showroom (with the staffer), the scooter stopped in the middle of the road. The petrol was over. 

I wasn't asked to bring petrol (to take possession of the bike). In fact, when I told the showroom manager where I lived, he said the scooter would reach the nearest petrol pump. Evidently, he didn't take into account that he was selling me what I believe to be a faulty scooter. After an agonizing wait in the middle of the Taleigao highway, during which I was too irritated to keep time (it was well over half an hour), a mechanic came with a 'little' petrol, put it into the scooter, and by little, I mean really little. The scooter didn't start anyway. After another annoying wait, during which hundreds of passers-by stared at me wondering what I was doing stranded with a brand new scooter and a showroom peon in that posh area, I tried calling the Vespa toll-free number. The person, who figured out I was already a Vespa owner and not a potential customer, told me to call another number for help. Certainly not the rather polite face of Vespa I encountered when I was still a potential buyer. 

After sometime, another mechanic came with more petrol, and after a little while, the scooter started. The mechanic then took it for a short test ride, at full speed, revving the engine, and sped back toward us before slamming the brakes and screeching to a halt. In my mind, I was 'What the fuck are you doing?!' Did that irreparably damage the engine? I don't know as of now. However, I was under the impression that scooters were supposed to be ridden gently, below 40-50kmph, for the few few hundred kilometres, a rule I always stick to on new vehicles. I will keep track of the engine performance and efficiency as I ride it. But I suspect my engine is already destroyed thanks to that incompetent mechanic.

Later, at the showroom, the manager told me that this was not his fault, and that 'these are machines, these things happen', after I angrily told him about my harrowing experience. I may have lost my cool a bit, like anyone else would, in my situation. His explanation, of course, is far from convincing, and I am beginning to regret buying the Vespa. Let's see how it goes. I clicked several pictures of the madness the dealership subjected to, and they're preserved for posterity, and will be used as evidence if I ever take Vespa to court. As of now, it looks very likely. But I will wait.

Nigel Britto,

Panjim, Goa.

Where's my Vespa?

Still no news from the dealership. Phoned the dealer twice, his cell was busy, didn't bother returning my calls. This had happened a couple of times when I tried contacting them for a test ride, too. Then, when I got through to him and asked him about the status of my cheque (which my bank informed me had been honoured the next day itself), he said he'll find out and get back to me.

This morning at 10 am, I sent a strongly-worded e-mail to the dealer, with a copy to Vespa India, complaining about the dealer's bad service. What peeved me was this. The dealer had promised to give me the scooter within two days, and since his charges for registration (Rs. 1,500) were quite exorbitant, I told him I'd do it myself. He agreed. So for two days, I kept myself, free, postponing all my work. Since I couldn't indefinitely keep myself free, I wrote in my letter that either you get cracking on this, and do the registration yourself, or I will cancel my booking.

I don't know if it was this mail, or a comment on Vespa's Facebook page, that knocked the Vespa team into action. To cut a long story short, the dealer called me, told me to give my documents, and said the bike would be ready by evening. I gave him the documents by 11am. The scooter was ready by 5:30pm, but since I was busy earlier today, I told him I'll collect it tomorrow. Can't wait!

Let's see what happens now.

Nigel Britto,

Panjim, Goa.